The Georgetown (Part 1)
Posted By: Halomaniac<davidjolly@att.net>
Date: 22 April 2004, 2:36 AM
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0630 Hours, November 12, 2524 (Military Calendar)
Aboard UNSC Destroyer, Georgetown,
in slip space, en route to Covenant controlled asteroid field.
The florescent white lights of the ships bridge cast an eerie glow onto the bridges forward optics station. Newly instated Marine Corporal Johnson manned the station. He had gone to a lot of trouble to get to his current position. He had volunteered for many missions that would make the average soldier run crying. Everything from Covenant ship infiltration to ground battles with overwhelming odds. But what else would you expect from an ODST.
In Johnson's peripheral vision he saw the metallic hologram projector produce a blue glow and a small blue figure appeared suspended an inch above the disk. This was none other than the ships AI, Han.
"ETA to asteroid field in 45 minutes. We will be dropping out of slip space in approximately 35 minutes and slingshot around the systems star to save time," the AI said. "Captain, I still don't understand why we're traveling to a Covenant controlled portion of space without more ships."
"There is a simple reason Han," the Captain said. "This asteroid field has one of the highest concentrations of unarmed Covenant mining camps in the galaxy. It's quite an easy target. I'm sure that the Georgetown can take on anything they try to throw at us."
"With all do respect Captain. I don't think you've looked over the available data well enough. According to my analysis, there are two Covenant cruisers that patrol that area. If they spot us entering the system it won't take them more that two minutes to reach us. Even if we're careful and decelerate outside the system they will still detect the ripple we'll make in slip space."
The Captain stood staring at Han for a moment and then started pacing the room. "I understand the risks. But it's not my job to choose what's dangerous and not dangerous. I just follow orders."
Han crossed her arms and laughed. "Since when have you ever followed orders? I've read your file. I'm surprised you made it this far. You've almost been court marshaled once for insubordination."
"Don't remind me."
"So what do we do Captain?" Han asked.
"Decelerate strait into the system. At least we have the element of surprise," the Captain said. "Oh, and start worming up the cryo-tubes. We'll need as many crewmen as we can get."
"Worming cryo-tubes. Deceleration and slingshot orbit in 3 minutes 56 seconds. You might want to sit down for this one Captain. This is going to be a rough ride." Han's holographic figure flickered out.
The Captain moved over to his seat in front of the display panels and watched the slip space flow by the ship. He knew he was not really looking at anything, because slip space was actually a huge void or nothing.
Hans's voice came onto the bridge speakers. "The crewmembers are all revived. No casualties. We will be decelerating in 10, 9, 8...3, 2, 1, decelerating."
Johnson felt a sudden jolt as the ship broke into normal space.
"ETA to asteroid field in 10 minutes," Han said over the speakers.
"Nice work Han," The Captain said. "The slingshot around the sun will cut off 20 minutes from our time. Those bastards won't know what hit them."
A strange silence fell over the bridge as the crewmembers arrived from the cryoroom. After a few minutes of returning salutes to fellow crewmen, the Captain took a seat in his chair. The clicking of the keyboards and the quick moving images on the display screens were almost hypnotic. The Captain slipped into a deep sleep.
The Captain was awoken with a start as Han's cool female voice broke over the speakers, "We've entered the outer limits of the asteroid field. I am receiving hundreds of Covenant communications on all frequencies. They don't match any Covenant language I've ever encountered."
"Johnson is there anything on the long distance sensors?" the Captain asked the Marine Corporal to his left.
"There is no way I can tell," Johnson answered. "All this clutter from the asteroid field is decreased our sensor accuracy to ten million..."
Johnson stopped mid sentence as an almost blinding green light filled the bridge. Even after the filters on the reinforced glass windows had compensated for the light change Johnson still had to squint to see clearly.
"What the hell was that?" the Captain asked Han as he reseated himself.
"Two Covenant frigates just dropped out of slip space approximately five hundred kilometers from our position. Captain their closing in fast; flank speed."
"Han I want all personnel at battle stations ASAP. Charge MAC guns and prep the nucks. If they engage us move to evasive maneuvers."
"Aye Captain," Han's hologram appeared next to the Captain, "Charging MAC guns."
"Captain those covenant ships are moving in quick," Johnson warned the Captain. "We'll be in shooting distance of their plasma torpedoes in 14 seconds."
"Han, move to evasive maneuvering."
"Aye Captain."
The ship gave a huge lurch as its twin ion engines flared to life. The ship did a sudden role as Han dodged the first frigate. The frigate did a u-turn in pursuit of the lone Georgetown, its plasma turrets burning blue with hot ionized gas.
Han was now piloting the ship directly into the asteroid field. They reached the asteroid field just as the two frigates released their first volley of plasma. About half the plasma struck the asteroids around the Georgetown. A few shots, however, hit the ship with such force that it was thrown off course.
The 3 meter thick titanium battle plating on the Georgetown was no match for the plasma. The hot gas sliced through the lower hole of the ship like a knife through butter.
"Status," the Captain yelled over the intercom.
"Desks C though E are completely destroyed and there are scattered fires in hanger four," the marine at the engineering station yelled over the noise of the bridge. "The engine room is still one hundred present operational."
"Are the MAC guns charged?" the captain asked.
"Yes Captain, MAC guns at one hundred present."
"Give me firing solutions on both Covenant ships."
"Calculating," Han answered. "Firing solutions are ready."
"Good, fire on my mark."
Both frigates were now moving at full speed on an intercept course with the Georgetown, plasma turrets flaming.
"Fire!"
There were six consecutive thuds as all six of the MAC guns fired their molten projectiles. The crewmen on deck watched as the projectiles streaked across space towards their targets. The first two shells hit the frigates and bounced off their shields, which shimmered silver and flickered out.
As the last four shells impacted on the frigates, they shredded through the purple armor and continued traveling through the interior of the two ships.
Some of the MAC rounds obviously hit there mark as both of the frigates ballooned into mushroom clouds of radioactive debris.
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